Waning in moon phases means the lit part of the Moon is getting smaller each night as it moves from full moon toward new moon.

Quick Scoop: What “waning” really means

  • “Waning” comes from an old word meaning “to grow smaller” or “to fade.”
  • In astronomy, a waning Moon is any phase after the full moon as the illuminated portion decreases on its way to the new moon.
  • During waning, the bright area shrinks from about more-than-half lit (waning gibbous) down to a thin crescent and finally disappears at new moon.

Where waning fits in the moon cycle

  • The Moon’s full cycle is about 29.5 days, and waning is the second half of that cycle.
  • Order of phases in the waning half:
    1. Waning gibbous – more than half lit but shrinking.
2. Third (last) quarter – half lit, heading toward darkness.

3. Waning crescent – thin “sickle” of light before new moon.

In a simple picture: waxing = Moon’s light grows , waning = Moon’s light fades as it returns to the dark new moon.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.